Mt. Juliet seeks ways to address multiple gun store thefts

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Mt. Juliet officials want stronger security requirements for its stores that sell firearms after multiple burglaries in 2016 and 2017 resulted in 65 total guns stolen.

The city’s most recent theft was 18 guns stolen from nRange on Lebanon Road in November. It was the fourth time nRange had been broken into since January 2016 with 48 total weapons taken.

Mt. Juliet Commissioner Brian Abston(Photo: Submitted)

“I can’t tell you how upset this makes me and we’re going to do something if we have to get our state representative or if we have to get to the governor, whoever, to get something done about this to where these guys have to do the responsible thing and lock them in a safe at night or put bars on the windows,” Commissioner Brian Abston said at a commission meeting.

But how the city can proceed is uncertain.

Mt. Juliet drafted an ordinance for its Jan. 8 city commission meeting that called for businesses to lock firearms in a safe when closed and to keep firearms to be “readily available to the public,” during open hours.

However, the ordinance was deferred with questions about what a local government can regulate on gun and ammunition sales and storage in relation to state law, officials said. The city will continue to study gun store security, including regulations related to building codes, Mt. Juliet City Attorney Gino Marchetti said.

Mt. Juliet Commissioner Ray Justice(Photo: City of Mt. Juliet)

“I feel comfortable … there are steps we can take,” Commissioner Ray Justice said. “But we want to make sure it’s well thought out, not something to hinder the public. We want them to be successful, but at the same time we want them to be responsible.”

Steps already taken by gun stores

Owner Ryan Brooks added safety measures that included a safe to lock up firearms overnight and a movable security gate. Guns-N-Ammo experienced another break-in in October, but no weapons were stolen.

“I believe as gun stores we should do it on our own and that’s what we did,” Brooks said. “No one knows the sickening feeling when your store has been broken into and you know your guns are out there on that street.”

Added security is a cost factor for gun store owners and measures such as safes to store weapons and bars for windows can present aesthetic concerns.

“We want the same things,” nRange manager Ted Murrell said. “Not that you try and put a price on it, but to pay for all the things we want requires exhausting more money that everyone has to bear. We’re not a big box store.”

Murrell has beefed up security for firearms at locations in both Mt. Juliet and Madison, which has also been broken into, he said. Murrell is designing new cases for both stores as well.

Where stolen guns go

Stolen firearms “more than likely” are generally used in additional crimes, and gangs or other criminal groups are often involved in gun store break-ins, said Michael Knight, spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Nashville division.

Burglaries are often staked out beforehand and the bureau believes some of the same groups may be involved in different thefts in the region, including Mt. Juliet, Knight said.

Prosecution

Brooks and Murrell believe punishment for individuals prosecuted in gun store thefts should be stronger to be a more effective deterrent.

Juveniles can be used by groups committing crimes that include gun store burglaries since punishment may be less severe than an adult being prosecuted, Knight said.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.